As the name of this post suggests – this is part two – if you haven’t already you might like to read part one.

So, by now you’ve got yourself a kick ass copy brief, and you’re much clearer about what it is you need to write, what you need to include etc . Now’s a really good time to plan out your structure. Here goes…

Now pretty much whatever you’re writing in terms of sales copy can be broken down as follows:

The Salutation – Dear / To / Hey etc

The Opener – you need to get to the point really quickly here, or you’re in danger of losing your reader. You need to get their attention and make sure they understand what it is you’re selling, and why they need it. Often I’ll ask a question by way of an opener. NB you may also mention your offer here (but only in brief).

What & Why – explain what it is you’re selling and more importantly – what the benefits of your particular product or service are. Features are nice and all that, but it’s the benefits that sell. Remember we talked about barriers to entry last time. You’ll need to break down these barriers here.

The How – explain here in more detail how your product / service works – here’s where your features come in.

The Offer – explain the details of your offer here. If you still haven’t got an offer, well – what can I say. Offers improve response rate. Are you really sure there’s absolutely nothing you could offer? Free or discounted trial? Free whitepaper? Money off purchases?

Lifesaver – I often like to ask ‘Still not sure?’ at this point. You’re almost at the last chance saloon. Give them a couple more reasons why they really should give you a go – pop in details of awards, testimonials etc

Response Mechanics – Tell them in plain English what they need to do next. Normally giving people a variety of ways to respond will also increase response – e.g. website, email, phone etc

Valediction - Yours sincerely / Kind regards / etc

Your Name

Last Chance Saloon – Use a PS – this is your last chance – so keep it punchy and to the point – e.g. ‘PS Don’t miss out! To trial our service completely free of charge make sure you contact us before 4pm on 31/08/2010!

Formal Signature – name, address, contact details etc

Terms & Conditions / Legal - don’t forget to include the small print

Now comes the scary bit – putting pen to paper (or finger tip to keyboard).

At this point many find themselves staring at a horribly blank screen whilst they try to figure out where on earth to begin. You decide to make yourself a cup of tea, that will help. You type your opener a couple of times, delete it, re-type it, delete it. Then you figure you might need a break, so you have a quick look on Facebook / Twitter (or whatever your own particular brand of poison might be). An hour later you’ve still got nothing written and you’re getting more and more stressed by the second.

What to do? I’ve pulled together some tips below:

Skip the opener.

Yes, that’s right. Skip it. Yes it is really important, but don’t bother with it right now. That opening sentence is a horror, and right now it’s blocking you from getting down to the real work. I almost always write my opening lines last. In fact I often approach writing with something of a scatter gun approach.

Starting to write is often the hardest thing. Once you get into the flow, it gets easier. So just start. Start anywhere – any section you like. That’s the joy of planning your structure – start out by typing out your structural headings – and do the easy bits first. You’ll feel better straight away – look – words are now breaking up that previously impenetrable  sea of white. You are awesome.

Don’t try to simultaneously write & edit.

Just write it. It doesn’t matter if it reads really badly. Just get it all down on paper. Normally I’ll set myself a time limit – e.g. half an hour’s solid writing. Then, and only then I’ll go back over it and edit it.

Don’t write your copy brief, then forget about it.

Once you’ve got a first draft that you’re reasonably happy with, go back and review your copy brief. Check that what you’ve written still fulfills the brief. If it doesn’t, then go back and amend it.

Find yourself a proof reader

So you’ve written and edited your little heart out. It’s now time to hand over your baby to someone else to proof read. They’ll do it much better than you ever could – you’re just too close to it now.

… So – how did I do? Got any tips of your own you’d like to share? That’s what the comments are for my loves

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For lots of people, writing in general is tough enough, but writing sales copy? Fugetaboutit!

As such I thought I’d share the typical approach which we use when approaching a copywriting project where the end game is to generate a response – e.g.  a sale, an enquiry, an email sign up etc.

Part One – The Copy Brief

Even if you’re not hiring a professional copywriter, taking the time to write a copy brief (even if it is for yourself) will allow you to gain a clear idea of what you’re trying to write, can help with internal buy in and will allow you to approach your writing in a systematic fashion – ultimately, a little spent up front here, can make the whole writing process quicker and easier. Here’s an example of the headings we use for when pulling together a copy brief here:

Company Name

Sector/Nature of the Business

The Job – Set out precisely what it is that you’re attempting to write – e.g. homepage copy for your website, a sales brochure, an email, a letter, a promotional leaflet etc, etc.

Audience – Who is this intended for?  Are there any special considerations in terms of technical knowledge, tone of voice etc?

How will it be consumed? - This is another key consideration – people consume media in different ways – e.g. they’ll typically spend more time reading a letter than a tube advert.

How ‘warm’ are your consumers likely to be? – For example, if someone’s already a customer, they’ll probably be ‘warmer’ to you, than a prospect who you are contacting for the very first time. Think about how this might impact how you construct your copy.

Key Objectives - What do you want people to do? Buy, sign up, enquire?

What are you selling - The products/services you want to sell.

Response Mechanics - How do you want people to respond? Call, email, complete a form?

Why should they respond? - This is key. What is your unique selling proposition? Why should your customers choose you over the competition? What are the benefits to them?

Barriers to entry - Think now about why people might not want to respond/buy/enquire? Note down all of the objections you can think of – you’ll need to tackle these later!

Offers - Detail any special offers which you’re running which you want to promote. Not running any offers? Well you might consider running something – typically it will uplift your response rate.

Tone of voice - This will largely be dictated by your audience, how warm they are and how your copy will be consumed – but it’s worth thinking about nonetheless.

Other mandatories for inclusion - What else must be included – e.g. testimonials, logos, details of awards/qualifications/affiliations/accreditations, telephone numbers, addresses, legal statements, terms and conditions etc.

Whilst this might seem like a pretty labour intensive process, you should now find that you have a much clearer idea of what you need to write, and the key things which you need to tackle. In part two I’ll talk you through how to structure your copy, plus offer some tips on how to make your sales copy more compelling, and ultimately, drive a better response.

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